The war of words between President Jacob Zuma and his political rivals - and even the bragging rights over who filled up the bigger stadium on the campaign trail - seemed utterly trivial as Number 1 cast his vote in Nkandla on Wednesday. It was windy and dusty‚ but Zuma declined an offer to skip the queue and‚ instead‚ stood in line with the other citizens of Ward 14. It took about an hour for him to move from the front gate of the Ntolwane Primary School‚ have his ID checked‚ join a second queue inside the quad and‚ finally‚ make his way into a classroom to drop his ballot papers into the awaiting box.And from the moment he went through that rusty gate he smiled broadly‚ chatted freely and laughed frequently - at one point joking with an election official‚ saying as she verified his ID and looked at his now-outdated photo: "That's me. You can see that it's me."Live results, cool maps, fierce battlegrounds: follow the local elections on our web app:http://bit.ly/2apwZKUPerhaps Zuma was buoyed by the fact that‚ outside the gates‚ the number of yellow ANC shirts worn inside the party's tent far outweighed those of the IFP supporters in the tent right across the gravel road. Perhaps he was on a high from the cheering‚ clapping and chanting that welcomed him and his five-car convoy. Or‚ perhaps‚ he was merely filled with confidence that the ANC would retain Ward 14 and snatch the Nkandla municipality out of the controlling hands of the IFP. With the NFP not in the equation‚ surely he knew the municipality was up for grabs."I will wake up in the municipality of the ANC. I absolutely do‚" Zuma said during an inpromptu press conference. "That's what we've been working for. I'm satisfied and I voted correctly."What did he mean by "voted correctly"‚ a journalist asked."I voted for the ANC. That's my organisation‚ that I lead‚" said Zuma.He said it felt "very good" to queue instead of being bumped to the front."When we talk about being part of the people‚ that's what it means to be with them. I just felt good that I was among the people I know best. I am a citizen in the first instance. The presidency comes afterwards. I belong here. I had time to chat with a number of people I know‚" he said.One of those people was 101-year-old Sizeni Mbambo. The gogo‚ who had already cast her vote‚ walked over to Zuma in the queue and‚ with moves that belied her age‚ danced and celebrated with him."I was seen by an old lady of the village who knows me. She really danced‚ happy that she's able to vote. There were citizens who couldn't vote for many years…who have the right to vote. She knows exactly what it means. That's why she's here‚ that's why she's excited‚" he said.TMG Digital/Durban Newsroom..